Advertising and display sign



ug- 29, 1939- Lw. A. c'. TROLLOPE ET A1. 2,171,462

ADVERTISING AND DISPLAY SIGN ug- 29, 1939- -w. A. c. TRoLLoPE ET AL2,171,452 ADVERTISING AND DISPLAY SIGN Filed March 13, 1939 2Sheets-Shea?I 2 Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEADVERTISING AND DISPLAY SIGN Application March 13, 1939, Serial No.261,586 In Australia, March 8l, 1938 8 Claims.

This invention refers to an improved advertising and display sign.

More particularly stated the invention has reference to an advertisingsign of the type wherein moving letters, signs, symbols or the like arecaused to travel successively and in selected predetermined sequencebefore the eye of the observer in attractive fashion.

Some advertising and display signs of such type which are customarilyemployed are comparatively complicated and expensive to manufacturelargely by reason of the fact that the said moving letters, signs,symbols or the like are of inflexible character and consequently specialmechanical provision has to be made to ensure continuity of theirmovement around inner ends of the casing, that is to say around ends oftheir endless carrying band or bands or the like.

In some advertising signs of the type before referred to it has beenproposed to make use of an endless belt which is transparent where theadvertising message is formed thereon and opaque on the remainder of thebelt so that light may pass through the letters, numerals orillustrations that constitute the advertising message but not throughthe remainder of the belt. In such signs however it is necessary toreplace the advertising belt with another one adapted to convey adifferent message when a different advertising message isrequired to beshown.

Again, an advertising device of the type mentioned has been proposedwherein is projected a continuously changed message by the passage oflight through a band, parts of which band are translucent and parts ofwhich are opaque, such device being characterized by the feature thatthe band consists of a plurality of separate interchangeable anddetachable display sign elements, each consisting of a piece of flexiblematerial 40 having attachment means at opposite edges to bracketssupported in special relationship upon a pair of carrier members, suchas chains,

According to the present invention there is utilized a plurality ofseparate interchangeable and detachable display sign elements, asletters, symbols or the like, each of which is wholly flexible and fullyshaped and formed for example of rubber as soft spongy rubber.

An object of the present invention is to provide an advertising deviceor display sign of the type hereinbefore set forth but which isespecially cheap in construction and attractive and economical inoperation and which is characterised by the fact that letters, signs,symbols or the like which are utilized in it are all of very flexiblecharacter as of soft spongy rubber for example and are thus very readilyadapted in simple manner to follow the synchronous movements of endlessilexible bands between and by which are carried the said letters, signs,symbols or the like around and within the casing of the device and eachof which flexible bands has formed through it two rows of perforations,one said row of perforations being adapted to be engaged by the teeth oftoothed Wheels which are adapted to carry the said band around and theother said row of perforations being adapted todetachably receive invery convenient manner clip members associated with the said letters,signs, symbols or the like.

Means are provided, associated with a device according to the invention,whereby the tension of the said endless flexible bands may be readilyadjusted.

Associated with a device according to the invention are illuminatingmeans such as electric glow lamps and/or neon tubes or the like andmeans as frosted glass plates or the like may be employed whereby anuniform dispersion of light is secured.

Means to prevent sagging of the lower one of the said endless flexiblebands, due to bearing down upon it of part of the weight of the saidletters, signs, or symbols carried around, may also be associated with adevice according to the invention.

Other features of construction will appear in the following descriptionof one exemplary form of the invention as illustrated by theaccompanying sheet of drawings wherein like reference numerals refer tolike parts throughout the several views which are as follows:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an advertising or display signaccording to the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational view taken on the plane 2-2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan View taken on the plane 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional elevational view taken on the line 4-4 ofFigure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional elevational view taken on the line 5-5 ofFigure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of parts of clip securing meansfor a letter, sign, symbol or the like.

Figure 7 is an elevational part sectional view of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of parts of another form of clipsecuring means for a letter, sign, symbol or the like.

Referring to the said drawings, a suitable casing built up as of metalpanellings and of substantially rectangular configuration is formed bythe framing I!) which has a flanged bottom plate II and vertical endwalls I2 which latter may have louvred openings I3.

The said vertical end walls I 2 rest upon the said bottom plate II andare connected to side panels I4 whichj latter are anchored in convenientmanner to the vertically disposed members I5 which are rigidly securedto the said framings.

On each of two oppositely disposed sides of the casing and locatedbetween side panels I4 is a window opening I6 which if desired may beglazed as shown by glass windows Il indicated by dotted lines in Figure4 of the drawings.

The ilanged top cover lfcompletes the casing for accommodation within itof theadvertising display and mechanism therefor.

The casing is of such character and so designed that ready access maybehad to its interior for inspection or Vrepair purposes. Y

The top longitudinal members ofthe framing I6 are furnished with a pairof spaced bridging members I9- each of which has rigidly secured to it avertically disposed tubular member 26. Said members 26 are adapted toform hangers whereby the device may be conveniently suspended from anysuitable support or awning and said members also serve as conduits'forelectrical lead wires 2I which pass into the casing.

Within one end of the casing is a pair (upper and lower) of bridgingmembers 23 rigidly secured to the main framing and each furnishedV witha bearing 24, upper and lowerbearings 24 serving to support the verticalspindle 25 which has iixedly iitted to it a pair (upper and lower) ofsuitably spaced toothed wheels 26. On the said spindle 25 is also xedlyfitted a gear wheel 21 which engages with a worm wheel28 secured to thedriving shaft 29 of an electric motor 30 which latter is rigidly securedtoI the bed member 3I which in turn is iirmly secured to the framing I0.

Within the other end of the casing isa pair (upper and lower) ofbridging members 34 which latter are slidably tted to the main framingI0 and are each furnished with a bearing 33, upper and lower bearings 33serving to support the vertical spindle 32 which has fixedly tted to ita pair (upper and lower) of suitably spaced toothed wheels 35 whose xedlocations in regard to their height correspond with those of thebeforementioned toothed Wheels 26.

An endless flexible steel band 36 having formed through it an endlessrow of perforations 31 is adapted to pass around and have its saidVperforations 37 engaged by teeth of the before-mentioned upper toothedwheels 26 and 35. 1

Another endless iiexible steel band'36 having formed through it anendlessrow ofperforations 3'I is adapted to pass around and haveits'said perforations 3'I engaged by-teethV of the beforementioned lowertoothed wheels 26tand 35.

Suitably afxed as by rivets 38 to each bridging member 34 isV avbolt 39whose screwedV end is passed through an anchor member 46 which isrigidly secured to the main framing I 6. Each said bolt is tted with anut 4I and by manipulation of said nuts and since the bridging members34 are slidably tted Vit will be obviousl that tension of the saidendless flexible steel bands may be readily adjusted according to'particular requirements. v

The said flexible steel orlike endless bands are adapted to movesynchronously and continuously during operation of the devicehorizontally as from right to left when viewed from the front of thedevice by the observer, carrying around with them (detachably tted toand between them in manner to be now described) exible letters iiguresor symbols as of rubber.

Each of the said flexible steel or like endless bands 36 has formedthrough it a second endless row of perforations 42 located as adjacentlyto its inner edgethat is to say in the case of the firstmentionedendless flexible steel band 36 adjacently to its lower edge and in thecase of the second-mentioned endless flexible steel band 36 adjacentlyto its upper edge-and wholly flexible letters 43 formed as of softspongy rubber are each furnished with upper and lower ilat spring steelclip elements 44 which latter are adapted to detachably engage in simplespring-clip fashion with selected ones of the perforations 42 in mannerso that each one of the said letters 43 may substantially bridge portionof the gap which lies between the said endless ilexible steel bands 36,the said letters 43 being arranged in required predetermined progressiveorder to convey the desired message to the observer and beingfurthermore arranged in such manner as to ensure that each oneof themwill be outlined to the observer in clear and well-dened manner.

In lieu of iiat spring steel clip elements 44 there may be used wirespring clip elements 45 as illustrated by Figure 8 of the drawings.

Other approved means my be used for detachably securing exible letters,signs, gures, symbols or the like to and between the said endless exiblesteel bands 36.

Interiorly of the casing and suitably located are illuminating means inthe form of electrical discharge neon-lled tubes 46. Other knownapproved illuminating means may be utilized in lieu of or as well as thesaid tubes 46, as for example electric glow lamps may be employed.

In association with the said illuminating means may be any knownsuitable and approved electrical current transformer.

Located intermediately of each one of the said A endless flexible steelbands 36 and of the said illuminating tubes 46 is a vertically disposedsheet or plate 4'! which may be of glass or of Celluloid or ofopalescent material and which may if desired be frosted or otherwisetreated in known manner to secure an uniform dispersion through it oflight rays so to bring about attractive results to the eye of theobserver.

In order to prevent sagging of the lower one of the said endlessflexible steel bands, 36, due to bearing down upon it of part of theweight of letters, signs, or symbols detachably fitted to it, bearingrollers or elements 48 (see Figure 2 of the drawings) are furnished forsupport beneath its lower edge of the said lower one of the said endlessflexible steel bands 36.

In use, the required letters, signs, symbols or the like having beendetachably fitted to and between the said endless flexible steel bands36 and the said illuminating means 46 and electric motor 36 being inoperation the vertical spindle 25 is rotated together with the toothedwheels 26 and the vertical spindle 32y and its fitted toothed wheels 35being also rotated through the medium of the fitted endless flexiblesteel bands 36 the latter are caused to traverse slowly andsynchronously together with the detachably tted letters, signs,

'symbols or the like andl so that the latter move slowly across the saidwindow openings I6 to be clearly seen by the observer illuminated andoutlined in well-defined manner.

Variable speed mechanism may if desired be employed in association witha device according to the invention.

In general, a device according to the invention is not limited toprecise details of design or materials used in manufacture so long asthe scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims be not departed from. For? example, although an advertising anddisplay sign having endless iiexible bands 36 horizontally disposed hasbeen herein described the invention is equally applicable for useapplied to an advertising and display sign wherein the said bands 36 aredisposed vertically or slantwise.

I Similarly, iiexible letters as of thin metal may be employed.

What we do claim is: Y

1. An advertising and display sign comprising a casing, spaced flexibleendless bands mounted for travel in the said casing, and advertising anddisplay elements detachably secured to and movable with said bands, saidelements being wholly flexible and fully shaped individually torepresent letters and like symbols.

2. An advertising and display sign comprising a casing, rotatablemembers mounted in said casing, spaced flexible endless bands movablysupported by said rotatable means and having a row of perforationstherein, flexible advertising and display elements, and means on saidelements detachably engageable in the perforations of said bands toretain the elements in position thereon.

3. An advertising and display sign as claimed in claim 2 characterizedby the provision of means for adjusting the tension of said bands.

4. An advertising and display sign as claimed in claim 2 characterizedby the provision of illuminating means disposed between the portions ofthe bands intermediate said rotatable means, and light diffusing meansbetween the illuminating means and said portions of the bands.

5. An advertising and display sign as claimed in claim 2 characterizedin that said casing includes a flanged bottom plate, vertical aperturedend walls, side panels concealing the rotatable means and the adjacentportions of the bands and a ianged top, an observation opening beingprovided between the anged bottom plate and flanged top and the panels.

6. An advertising and display sign` as claimed in claim 2 characterizedby the provision of means for adjusting the tension of the endlessbands, said adjusting means including slidably mounted members arrangedin the casing forming supports for certain of said rotatable means, andmeans for adjusting the position of said bearing means.

7. An advertsing and display sign as claimed in claim 2 characterized inthat the securing means for said elements includes spring clipsdetachably engaged in the perforations oi the bands, the advertising and-display elements bridging the space between said bands.

8. An advertising and display sign as claimed in claim 2 characterizedby the provision of means movably supporting the portion of one of thebands intermediate the rotatable means. WILLIAM ASHFORD CLAYTONTROLLOPE. LEONARD ELLIOTT MORLEY MCVICAR.

